Since moving away from the Midwest, the place I miss the most is Michigan’s Upper Peninsula or the UP, where the Yoopers live. The U.P. is a 6-8 hour drive from Chicago, which is why I lived in Chicago for years before my first Upper Peninsula travel. I mean, I can fly to Ireland in less than 8 hours. But the Upper Peninsula is worth it, trust me! Here are a few of my favorite things to do in the UP, as well as some of the best Upper Peninsula camping spots and state parks!

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Read: Moon Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

Hiawatha National Forest (6 hours from Chicago)

One of my first trips to the UP, which I repeated 3-4 times, is to a forest service cabin north of Escanaba. My friend Randall organizes this annual trip in late April. The cabins are rustic (no electricity or plumbing) but perfect for an outdoor weekend with friends. We have had lovely spring weather with hikes through trillium-filled woods, while other years the snow was so deep we couldn’t drive all the way to the cabin.  If rustic “glamping” is your jam, you should definitely check out the Upper Peninsula camping cabins operated by the Hiawatha National Forest.

Sylvania Wilderness (6.5 hours from Chicago)

Another scenic destination for Upper Peninsula camping is Sylvania Wilderness, in the Ottawa National Forest near Watersmeet, Michigan. Sylvania has been described as a mini-Boundary Waters, so I always wanted to kayak there but ended up backpacking instead. Sylvania has 34 named lakes, surrounded by sandy beaches, hiking trails, and primitive campgrounds. Now that I’ve experienced portaging, I think backpacking is the way to go! Portaging a kayak packed for a multi-day adventure would not be fun. There are plenty of drive-in campgrounds and cabins in the area as well.

Read: Hiking Michigan’s Upper Peninsula: A Guide to the Area’s Greatest Hikes

Porcupine Mountains State Park (7 hours from Chicago)

Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park is another gem of the western Upper Peninsula. The “Porkies” are nestled along the southern shore of Lake Superior and are a popular destination for camping and backpacking. There are also cabins and yurts available, and winter ski/snowshoe trips are another option. We hiked a bit near the Presque Isle campground, following the river trail to Lake Superior.

Somehow, I was able to get a campsite at the Union Bay campground in the park on a holiday weekend with no reservation. (I don’t recommend this approach, though!) The campground was nice, albeit full of RVs on a holiday weekend, but very clean facilities and walking trails right to the Lake Superior shoreline. After setting up camp, dinner, and a nap, I set out to practice some night photography. Little did I know, it doesn’t actually get dark this far north until almost midnight. I managed a few star shots, but unfortunately, no Northern Lights. I’ll have to go back in the winter when it gets dark earlier.

Lake of the Clouds is another popular spot in the Porkies. There is a short hike to a nice overlook, and trails around the lake that I assume are less crowded than the paved trail Bailey and I took.

Read: 100 Things to do in the Upper Peninsula Before You Die

Keweenaw Peninsula (7-8 hours from Chicago)

The Keweenaw Peninsula is a rugged strip of land jutting into Lake Superior that will remind you of the Maine coast. The Peninsula starts in the small college town of Houghton and the road ends at Copper Harbor, with few towns in between. I first visited Copper Harbor to catch a ferry to Isle Royale but wanted to come back and spend some time on my own as we were a bit rushed the previous trip. At Ft Wilkins State Park, I was also able to score a campsite on July 4th with no reservations, albeit a scruffy patch of dirt next to the bathroom. (I think “beggars can’t be choosers” is applicable here.) There are two roads to Copper Harbor – one is along the water and the other is along a ridgeline. Each road is worthy of a drive!

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (6.5 hours from Chicago)

Pictured Rocks Cruising

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is located in the central Michigan Upper Peninsula, along the shore of Lake Superior. The park stretches approximately 40 miles from the small town of Munising to Grand Marais. As part of the National Park Service, dogs aren’t allowed on the hiking trails. I was thrilled when I found out that Pictured Rocks Cruises offers on-site kennels for customers. I called from the road and made a cruise reservation. My ticket was $38, which I thought was a good price, given that parking is free, and the dog kennel was free!  The cruise lasted 2 1/2 hours and is a great way to see the park from the water. If you are not a backpacker, you should definitely take a boat to see the highlights of Pictured Rocks.

Read: Explorer’s Guide Michigan’s Upper Peninsula: A Great Destination

Pictured Rocks Backpacking

After a small intro to Pictured Rocks on the boat cruise, I made plans to return in late September for a solo backpacking trip. I submitted a permit application about a month ahead of time and waited for confirmation.  (I thought I was being overly cautious by getting a permit ahead of time but saw several folks at the ranger station having a hard time piecing together an itinerary with available campsites.)

Backcountry campsites at Pictured Rocks are spaced about 4-7 miles apart, along the 42-mile Lakeshore Trail (which also is part of the North Country Trail.) One great thing about this hike is that there is a company that runs a shuttle bus up and down the park. Generally, shuttling cars is one of the trickier logistics of planning a backpacking trip, so it’s one less thing to worry about here. Although I had a conservative itinerary and met two great ladies the first day on the trail, I realized by the 2nd night that solo backpacking was not my jam.  After a sleepless night of silence in the woods, I bailed out at Twelve Mile Beach campground and took the shuttle back to my car. FAIL. It was still a great trip and I’m glad I tried it. I will give solo backpacking another shot with my guard dog next time!

I do think Pictured Rocks is a great place for a beginner backpacker or first-time solo trip. It’s nearly impossible to get lost, as you follow the lakeshore almost the whole way and if you veer too far south, you’ll hit a road. There are established campsites along the way, all of them have bear boxes and poles, many have a vault toilet and potable water, and there are several “bailout options” as you pass through several day-use areas along the way. I recommend getting a map ahead of time from Michigan Trail Maps – my map had much more detail than what the park provided, and I didn’t see any other map options in town.

Pictured Rocks Upper Peninsula Camping

After my failed backpacking trip, I was able to join my new friends at Twelvemile Beach Campground for some car camping.  This quickly became one of my all-time favorite camping sites, hands down.  It’s a small campground with 36 non-electric sites, with access to well water and vault toilets.  Campsites are perched on the bluff above the beach, and you can hear crashing waves all night long. If Twelvemile Beach is full, there’s more Upper Peninsula camping at Hurricane River campground, just a few miles north which has more campsites. (And dogs are allowed, just not on the trails)

Backroad Ramblers has the best hiking and camping for families at Pictured Rocks

Tahquamenon Falls State Park (8 hours from Chicago)

Tahquamenon Falls State Park is towards the eastern Michigan Upper Peninsula. It is one of the largest waterfalls west of the Mississippi River. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get a campsite here, even though it was the last night of a holiday weekend. We arrived pretty late, so I didn’t have much time to explore as I now had to worry about where I would sleep that night. There is a nice short boardwalk hike to the main area of the falls.  The park campground and state park facilities looked really nice, too.  There is a boat rental concession so you can paddle around some of the falls.

Mackinac Bridge (6.5 hours from Chicago)

After striking out at Tahquamenon Falls, I considered getting a hotel but was now in the pricey tourist zone near Mackinaw Island. I got a campsite at Straits State Park, which is near the famous Mackinac Bridge.  I’m now kicking myself for not going to photograph the bridge at night.  I had no idea how close I was!  First thing in the morning, I drove to a few viewpoints to see the bridge before driving across it.  Mackinac Island is a popular tourist destination, but accessible only by ferry as cars aren’t allowed on the island.  I think it’s fairly touristy (think lots of fudge and taffy shops!) so I wasn’t disappointed to pass it up.

Book a Mackinaw City Sunset Cruise

If you’re doing this all in one trip, it makes a great circle around Lake Michigan. The Lower Peninsula of Michigan has lots to offer as well, including tons of adorable beach towns. However, you’ll find a lot more people than in the Upper Peninsula, and you will quickly miss the open roads and serenity of the U.P.

Do you have a favorite Upper Peninsula camping spot?